Fitness
Here’s Why You Should Try A Cold Workout, According To Experts
Let’s face it: Running on the treadmill just isn’t the same as running at your favorite park. And, as the chilly winter months drag on, you might be on the fence about moving your workout inside or braving the elements. Experts say you don’t have to—not necessarily.
Exercise is a stressor on the body, so getting active in the cold is “a double whammy” to your system because you’re adding the challenge of keeping yourself warm, says Alexander Rothstein, PhD, an exercise physiologist at New York Institute of Technology. This isn’t a bad or a good thing; it just means that your workout is asking more of your body, and it might feel like it too.
Embracing the cold is all the rage for a reason. (Think: cryotherapy like cold plunges, ice baths, and using an ice pack when you need one.) Cold causes your blood to move rapidly to the important parts of your body like your heart and core, reducing swelling and inflammation quickly, says Asad Siddiqi, MD, a sports medicine physician at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. Beyond that, some cold-lovers say that exposure to icy temps boosts their mental health (and one 2023 study in Biology would agree; it found that participants subjected to cold-water immersion felt more active, alert, and inspired).
Experts say a cold workout is a far cry from cryotherapy. But getting outside for a winter workout can make you stronger.
Here’s what you need to know about staying working out safely in the cold, and why you might want to, according to experts.
Meet the experts: Alexander Rothstein, CSCS, ACSM-EP, is an exercise physiologist and instructor for the Exercise Science program at New York Institute of Technology. Asad Siddiqi, MD, is a sports medicine physician and chief of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital.
Working out in the cold has its benefits.
You might feel super unmotivated to get outside in frigid temps, but there’s always a silver lining. Since working out gets your blood pumping and your internal temperature raised, a cooler environment (within reason) might make your sweat sesh feel better and sustainable for a longer period of time. For example, temperatures closer to 45 to 55 degrees is ideal for running a race, even though 70 to 80 degrees is more comfortable for, say, a picnic or beach day, says Rothstein.
One more, albeit niche, benefit is that working out in cold water burns more calories compared to warmer water, adds Rothstein. This definitely doesn’t mean that you should get out into open-water when it’s frigid, but an unheated pool might help amp up the burn of a workout. Cold air doesn’t quite have the same effect, though.
You might have a tough time tolerating the cold at first, the more time you spend out there, the easier it gets. In fact, if you devote just 11 minutes per week to deliberate cold exposure, your body will start to make adaptations that’ll keep you more comfortable next time, says Dr. Siddiqi.
But it also requires the right precautions.
Working out in the cold comes with some risks, too. There are the big ones like hypothermia and frostbite—which aren’t common, especially if you are wearing the right gear—and smaller concerns like your reflexes not being as quick, says Dr. Siddiqi.
The best way to address most cold-related concerns is to dress appropriately, he says. You’re going to want to limit the amount of skin exposed, wear thermal garments, and have the appropriate footwear for the terrain.
Cold sometimes brings ice, snow, or other uneven or slippery surfaces, and having the right shoes can go a long way to keep you safe. Also make sure that you’re wearing activity-specific clothing, adds Rothstein. For cyclers, this might mean wearing wind gear and for skiers it might mean water-resistent top layers.
Pro tip: When dressing for a cold-weather workout, opt for many light layers that you can shed as you inevitably warm up, says Rothstein. If you feel like you’re overheating, take off a layer, but don’t set out underdressed and assume you’ll warm up.
Some people—regardless of attire—should be extra careful in the cold, or skip working out in it entirely. Those with cardiac conditions like arrhythmias, a history of heart attacks, hyperventilation, or irregular heartbeats should be mindful about shocks of cold like cold plunges, says Dr. Siddiqi, as should those with neurologic or vascular conditions. Plus, those with asthma might see their conditions exacerbated in chilly temperatures.
Also, keep in mind that if you plan to exercise in the cold, you might not be able to go as hard out of the gate. Dr. Siddiqi recommends following a gradual exposure to the elements and starting with 50 percent of what you’d normally do. Another important reminder: Make sure you do a warm up. Do something light and dynamic to break a sweat and get your blood pumping before you head out the door, he says.
When out in the cold, make sure you’re checking in with yourself and aware of how your body is feeling, says Dr. Siddiqi. It’s okay to be out in temps that feel a little uncomfortable, but not ones that feel unsafe. Remember to tell a friend you’re going out, and don’t stay outside for too long—which is whenever you start to get that urge to get inside.
Gear That Keeps You Warm
Nike Therma-FIT One High-Waisted 7/8 Leggings
Temps get to a point where regular leggings just won’t cut it. These cold-weather leggings from Nike will keep you warm when you take your workouts outside. (Plus, they have pockets.)
Turtle Fur Classic Fleece Double-Layer Neck Warmer
It’s a classic for a reason. Turtle Fur’s fleece neck gaiters are soft, keep you warm, and come in a bunch of different colors.
Best Cold-Weather Outdoor Workouts
The best kind of workouts to do in the cold are ones that keep you moving and producing heat, says Rothstein. This could mean any number of aerobic activities like going on a run, a walk, or a bike ride. Again, just be mindful about snow, water, or ice that could lead to slips, falls, or crashes—in that case, it’s probably best to move your workout inside. Meanwhile, activities like skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing are all forms of exercise meant to be done in the snow.
If you need a little help making it through a cold-weather workout, you could also prioritize doing something communal like going to a run club, says Dr. Siddiqi. This will keep you distracted from the freezing temps.
Best Workouts For When It’s Too Cold
There does come a point when it’s just too cold out, meaning you need to move your workout indoors.
Try these inside-friendly workouts:
If you’re an outdoor exerciser waiting for warmer days, pick an indoor workout that’s complimentary to your sport of choice, says Dr. Siddiqi.
Olivia Luppino is an editorial assistant at Women’s Health. She spends most of her time interviewing expert sources about the latest fitness trends, nutrition tips, and practical advice for living a healthier life. Olivia previously wrote for New York Magazine’s The Cut, PS (formerly POPSUGAR), and Salon, where she also did on-camera interviews with celebrity guests. She’s currently training for her first half marathon, inspired by her many colleagues at WH who have run one.
Fitness
80-year-old fitness icon Joan MacDonald reveals her simple exercise for a stronger, more stable core
Joan MacDonald didn’t enter a gym until she was 70. Really. Since then, the 80-year-old has transformed her health by losing three stone and building significant muscle, and now coaches other women through her training platform, Train With Joan, which she launched to help others boost their fitness at any age.
The premise of her app is simple: minimal-equipment workouts built around no-fuss, effective exercises that can be done anywhere. One ‘powerful core and stability exercise’ she swears by is alternating bodyweight clock taps. ‘This movement helps strengthen the muscles that keep you stable, balanced and moving well as you age,’ Joan explains.
Bodyweight clock taps benefits
Think they look too simple? That’s the point. Joan is adamant that ‘You don’t need complicated workouts to start getting stronger. Sometimes the most effective movements are the simple ones you do consistently.’
According to Joan, regularly performing bodyweight clock taps help:
- ‘Strengthen your core which supports your spine and reduces strain on your lower back.
- ‘Improve balance and coordination, helping you stay steady on your feet.
- ‘Increase hip stability, which supports your knees and joints.
- ‘Build functional strength for everyday movements like stepping, turning and reaching.
- ‘Help reduce fall risk by improving control and body awareness’
How to do bodyweight clock taps
Find a demo from Joan above, along with instructions for how to do them with proper form below.
- Stand on one leg with a slight bend in your supporting knee and brace your core.
- Keeping your hips level, reach your free foot forward to lightly tap the floor in front of you (12 o’clock), then return to the centre.
- Continue tapping to different “clock” positions—such as 3, 6 and 9 o’clock—maintaining your balance and control throughout.
- Complete all reps on one leg before switching sides.
Form tip: Move slowly and focus on staying stable. The goal is controlled movement, not how far you can reach.
How many reps and sets to do
Joan shares her advice, according to your fitness level.
- Beginners: ‘3 taps per leg x 8-10 reps’
- Intermediate: ‘3 taps per leg x 10-12 reps’
- Advanced: ‘3 taps per leg x 12-15 reps’
One of our most frequently asked questions here at Women’s Health? How to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. So, we asked superstar trainer Oyinda Okunowo exactly how to do it. In this 4-week plan – created exclusively for Women’s Health COLLECTIVE members – you’ll get the workouts and nutrition guidance needed to help you on your way to better body composition. Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to Oyinda’s plan and start training today.
Get the plan
As Women’s Health UK’s fitness director and a qualified Pilates and yoga instructor, Bridie Wilkins has been passionately reporting on exercise, health and nutrition since the start of her decade-long career in journalism.
After earning a first-class degree in journalism and NCTJ accreditation, she secured her first role at Look Magazine, where she launched the magazine’s health and fitness column, Look Fit, before going on to become Health and Fitness writer at HELLO!
Since, she has written for Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, The Metro, Runner’s World and Red. Today, she oversees all fitness content across Women’s Health online and in print, spearheading leading cross-platform franchises, such as ‘Fit At Any Age’, which showcases the women proving that age is no barrier to exercise.
She has also represented the brand on BBC Radio London, plus various podcasts and Substacks – all with the aim to encourage more women to exercise and show them how. Outside of work, find her trying the latest Pilates studio, testing her VO2 max for fun (TY, Oura), or posting workouts on Instagram.
In the 19 years since retiring from professional tennis, Tim Henman has barely aged. A large part of that comes down to his approach to fitness. The 51-year-old believes that ‘being active is always going to be a part of my identity’, which helps him maintain a consistent training routine.
Even while spending much of his time covering tennis as a commentator and pundit, and serving on the board at Wimbledon, Henman still makes time for his own athletic pursuits. Especially now that he has a different kind of motivation.
How Tim Henman Stays Fit After Retirement
‘I’ve got a gym at home and I try to exercise pretty regularly because I feel much better for it,’ Henman tells Men’s Health. ‘But one of my passions is wine. So if I’m having a few glasses of wine – you’ve got to treat yourself – then that definitely incentivises me to get in the gym. I’ve always exercised and I think it’s good for me both physically and mentally.’
That doesn’t mean Henman is completing brutal workouts or chasing specific performance goals. Instead, he prefers a straightforward routine that supports his lifestyle and helps him manage the wear and tear accumulated during his tennis career.
‘I don’t run that much anymore. We’ve got dogs at home, so I walk them a lot, and if I’m at tournaments or working, I’ll do quite a bit of incline walking on the treadmill. Then it’s just a good mix of weights and core work. I’m not trying to run any marathons – I’m just trying to stay in relatively good shape,’ he says.
‘I understand my body and know what I can and can’t do, especially because I’ve had three elbow surgeries and a shoulder surgery. So I’m a little careful around those joints.
‘Posture is so important for shoulder health. I focus on resistance-band exercises to make sure I’m strong through my back and maintaining good posture. Then the core is so important, so I try to stay strong through planks and side planks as much as possible.’
Why Henman Is Excited for the Laver Cup
His approach to fitness has changed dramatically over the past two decades. Where he once played tennis every day, Henman admits he’s now lucky if he gets on court twice a year. These days, golf is his sporting obsession.
That doesn’t mean he’s any less passionate about tennis, however, as he prepares to return as Team Europe vice-captain at the Laver Cup this September at The O2.
‘I’m so excited,’ he says. ‘The first time I ever experienced the Laver Cup was at The O2 when Roger Federer was retiring. I’d never seen the event live and I was probably a bit sceptical at that stage. But I was there working for television and, for those three days, I was completely blown away by the delivery of the event, the intensity of the players and the quality of the matches.
‘Tennis is an individual sport and players spend most of the year competing on their own. But I’d struggle to name any player, male or female, who doesn’t enjoy being in a team environment every once in a while.
‘The way the Laver Cup has evolved and grown is so special, and Federer deserves a lot of credit for that vision.
‘With an arena like The O2, it’s one of the biggest venues in tennis. There’ll be 17,000 or 18,000 people packed in there and, with the roof on, the atmosphere is incredible.’
Laver Cup returns to The O2, London, from 25-27 September, bringing together many of the world’s biggest tennis stars as Team Europe takes on Team World in the sport’s unique team competition. Tickets are on sale now via AXS, the official ticketing partner of The O2. Visit lavercup.com for more information.
Ryan is a Senior Writer at Men’s Health UK with a passion for storytelling, health and fitness. Having graduated from Cardiff University in 2020, and later obtaining his NCTJ qualification, Ryan started his career as a Trainee News Writer for sports titles Golf Monthly, Cycling Weekly and Rugby World before progressing to Staff Writer and subsequently Senior Writer with football magazine FourFourTwo.
During his two-and-a-half years there he wrote news stories for the website and features for the magazine, while he also interviewed names such as Les Ferdinand, Ally McCoist, Jamie Redknapp and Antonio Rudiger, among many others. His standout memory, though, came when getting the opportunity to speak to then-Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher as the club won League One in 2023.
Having grown up a keen footballer and playing for his boyhood side until the age of 16, Ryan got the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland national futsal team eight times, scoring three goals against England, Scotland and Gibraltar. Now past his peak, Ryan prefers to mix weightlifting with running – he achieved a marathon PB of 3:31:49 at Manchester in April 2025, but credits the heat for failing to get below the coveted 3:30 mark…
You can follow Ryan on Instagram or on X
Fitness
Quote of the day by Cher: ‘Nothing lifts me out of a bad mood better than a hard workout on my…’ – motivating life lessons by Oscar-winning actress of Moonstruck and singer of Believe on exercise, mental health, fitness and how this daily habit can transform your mood and mindset
Quote of the Day Today: Cher on Exercise
Cher said, “Nothing lifts me out of a bad mood better than a hard workout on my treadmill. It never fails. Exercise is nothing short of a miracle,” as per BrainyQuote.
What Cher’s Quote Means: Why Exercise Can Transform Your Mood
Cher’s quote highlights the powerful connection between physical activity and emotional well-being. Rather than seeing exercise as only a fitness routine, she describes it as something that consistently helps improve her mood and clear her mind.
Her words suggest that movement can provide more than physical benefits. A workout can help reduce stress, increase energy, and shift attention away from negative thoughts. By calling exercise “nothing short of a miracle,” Cher emphasizes the positive impact it has had on her own life.
Life Lesson from Cher’s Quote
The quote reminds readers that small, healthy habits can make a significant difference in everyday life. While exercise may not solve every problem, making time for physical activity can help people feel stronger, calmer, and better equipped to handle daily challenges. Cher’s message encourages people to view exercise not as a chore, but as an investment in both physical and mental well-being.
Who Is Cher
Cher (born May 20, 1946, in El Centro, California) is an American singer, actress, and entertainer whose career has spanned more than five decades. According to a Britannica report, she is known for her success in music, film, and television and for continually reinventing herself.
Cher’s Early Life
Born Cherilyn Sarkisian, Cher faced financial hardships during childhood and struggled with undiagnosed dyslexia. She left school at age 16 and moved to Los Angeles, where she began her entertainment career.
Cher’s Rise to Fame
Cher found success with Sonny Bono as part of Sonny and Cher. Their 1965 hit “I Got You Babe” launched their careers, and she later became a solo star with number one hits including “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves,” “Half-Breed,” and “Dark Lady,” as per the Britannica report.
Cher’s Acting Career
Cher earned critical acclaim for films including Silkwood and won the Academy Award for Best Actress for Moonstruck (1987). She also starred in Mask, The Witches of Eastwick, Burlesque, and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
Cher’s Legacy
Cher made a successful music comeback with Believe, winning a Grammy Award for the hit song. She later received Kennedy Center Honors in 2018, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024, and published Cher: The Memoir, Part One the same year, as per the Britannica report.
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